Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-06-26
HER GlRLHOOD.
xARLy YEARS OF THE PRINCESS WHO
srcAMx EsaLAEp's QUEEN.
cha Smooth Course OF True Love-rhe
Tender Care Of the Poor Duehe"
Of Kent.
fphnadolphia Press. |


January. 1920, when she was left father
loss The Duke of Kent her father,
had been poor for his station and deep
in debt. Parliament granted an allow,
ancc OF .G6,000 year TO his widow ana
child. but il was barely sufficient Tor
Tho many obligations aud claims upon
them. For period of years the
Duchess received pecuniary assistance
tom her brother, Prince Leopold,
Otherwise her position would have been
st;r more irving. Much was against
bor beside her sex and age-httle over
thirty. She was foreign princess,
who had only been short time IN the
country, and spoke the language with
Caro- and strife formed'a bitter ele-
,oCnt in her cxpairiatcd wIdowhood. 1t
= ycll known that The Regent, who,
H;,b;n o week Of the death OF the Duke
of K,nt succeeded George III as king,
had lived at open cnmity with his
brotber and looked with dissatisfaction
ard dislike upon everything IN con
ncc,ion with him, including his
widow and child. "Thc first gentle
man in Europe" under the pressure OF
princely and political etiquette, had
been present at the infants baptism,
and had acted as one Of its sponsors.
A little later. when she was four years
of age. he condesccnded to entertain
tie child-vh must have reminded
him painfully Of his own illuscd daugh-
tcr-at a garden party, 10 listen to her
calling him ct ncle King, and to pre-
s,nt her with his miniature set in dia-
monds. Later still be agreed to the
suggestion of his sister, Princess So
phia, and created Princess Victoria's
co,erness, Mademoiselle Lehzen, a
baroness.
JEALOUSY or The PRINCESS.
All the same the Duchess of Kent
could not fail to be aware that the King
had no favor either for her or her child.
She was rendered conspicuous and an
object OF envy by the mere fact that
she was the mother Of a child near III
succession 10 the throne beside the
childless King, the Duke OF York, also
childlcss. the Duke of Clarence, whose
children scarcely survived their birth,
and those other married sons of
George Ill. with sons and daugh-
tiers Of their own, who were,
However, several steps farther removed
FROM the Crown. When the Duke of
Clarence succeeded to the throne, in
spite OF his blunt kindness Of heart
ana affection for his niece. he keen!y
r,prchended the Duchess of kent's
bringing up her daughter, his heiress,
IN retirement 10 a great extent, apart
from bis court, which. although pre-
sided over 10y his good Queen Adelaide,
had elements which rendered it an un-
desirable resort for young princess.
The Duke Of Cumberland made no
concealmeDt of the anger with which
Lee regarded the very exist nee of a
princess fatal to the pretensioDs Of his
lGohztd son, Prince George.
lie Queen knew in her early days
something Of that adversely which has
sweet uses, and though Like the
toad, ugly and venomous, wears vet
precious jewel in his head to those
L. whom j; is blessed. II the happiest
DAYS Of her happy matrouhood she
refers, in a passage from her jour
MI. quoted in the life Of the
riuce Consort TO her "sad child
hood at Atnsineton, and says that its
hri-ltost seasons were those which she
ana h.r mother spent with her III
dulccut uncle a. Claremout, where
there might he probably forgetfulness
of the tasks and troubles OF ordinary
existence. The future Queen did not
make her first acquaintance with life
as entirely bed of roses. She was
sensible that there were thvrns among
the roses long before she was called on
to find, in her widows soTowful eXpe-
rience, that Whom God loyeth he
cLasteuetb, end scourgeth every son
whom He recciveth. -
Next 10 tie inestimable boon which f.
She enjoyed in a good mother the .
q zen bad an excellent working gov .
,rncss she had for her state Goyerness /
t.t Duchess of Northumberland, and .
l,r her tltor, Dayys, the future Bishop .
Of Peter oroueh; but the teacher who .
WIS Wit her charge daily and hourly, .
i e. tie Duchess Of Kent, who, next F.
totlc Duchess. must have had the great /
est share III mouldingthe child's charac- /
ter. was Louise, BARONESS Lehzen, the :
daughter of Hanoveran pastor, a well .
1rncipl,d. sensible, devoted woman. /
Judging ltr 10y herpupils, the Princess /
Of HohcIi6Lc, with whom she came .
frst to England, and the Queen, Baron /
c,- ch2rn deserved all the gratitude I
expressed icrserviCes which never could /
have ttou bought.
TWO YOUNG QUEENS.
ronc her juvenile acquaintances /
lIIc,,s Victoria numbered young /
queen like herself, who, by the eXigen-
,,- II fortune, had been driven INTO
c.. and had come to this country. at
Ga ,iI.dItn's ball given by George ~,
j. l>-S. two little girls tigured-the one
VS. afterwards Queln Victoria, with
lp stainless life and constitutional
rr.u. g.. other was Maria lie Gloria,
Gu "a 81 Portugal, q good woman III
private IT,, bat rs sovereign SO
Vr.ueh AIDED and incapable OF re-
clEnge lesson that She nearly cost The
ol.c az EIacauza n crown. st the
bIi The two children presented
great contrast il personal appear
a. .. GI,sS. and bearing. The
,,I-ig tucou O; England was fair and
Io-t. size was dressed with perfect sim
I.Nlly. and acted in the unSOphisticated
l.YIcr natural TO her years. Maria
e.. GiDia Was dark and sallOw. She
Worc magnificent dress loaded with
g,w,.s, and behaved with the studied
dignity and courtly statellness OF a
ruyal grandmother. She was 50 put
out by an accidental stumble she made
That snt refused 10 dance agaiu during
tie evening. The Queens. who were
defined afterwards 10 be connected 10y
tie second marriage of Maria de Gloria
WITH Queen Nictoyia's cousin, a prince
o! the Catholic branch OF the House Of
totug. met again in their later girl
hood and exchanged courtesies at
Portsmouth, when. in all likelihood. |
tie contest betwe IA them was still
IIEod.
for s.my Lefty and not splendor, in
l'aUousness and not elaborate grace
ana concesceDion. were the results OF
ihe duchess of Rents training. Ia
tie tim Of dress, the Princess, when a
rAid and 9ih, gave proof OF tine
! uciCss's good Judgment and taste,
" l5ch inclined ~ comfort and Dlaln- !